To the Moderator - please maybe add this to your tips section, was not sure where to post this
It was my third time in Tunisia but first time with my OH and first time I came across something like that on one day LOL

Yasmine sellers - a boy would not leave us alone so finally got one flower for him, gave him one dinnar and you would not believe how unbelievably fast he has managed to put his hand in/out of his pocket and telling me I have given him 0.5 dinnar and not 1 dinnar.

I knew I gave him a dinnar but I can see how he can get people confused as the coins are very similar, both silver colour and the 0.5 just a bit smaller than 1 DT. Anyway, watch out - my OH was about to give him another 0.5 but my firm "No, I gave him a dinnar, he is trying it on with us" was enough.

Lots of those boys will literally push the flower into yoru hand saying it is FREE and then follow you all the way to the hotel till you start feeling sorry for them.

Realistically - how many yasmin flowers can you buy in a day?

Another one, in a bar - the waither was giving change to my OH. It was supposed to be 8 dinnars. Normally would have been one 5DT coin and 3 x 1 DT coins (4 coins). 1 DT is whole silver, 5 has got gold colour edges and is a bit thicker.

My OH took the change and passed it on to me - it was 4 coins all right but 4x 1 DT coins.

Waiter still standing by us (what a cheek, shortchanging us AND waiting for a tip LOL) so I asked him what does he think he is doing?

he took the money from me and again, a very fast hand movement and suddenly on his hand there was 4 different coins - a 5DT coin and 3 x 1 DT coin - very, VERY fast and sneaky.

Both happened in Hammamet - kid with flowers outside bell Air and the waither in Latino Bar.

Trying to charge us 38 DT for a 5DT bracelet I consider normal - part of the haggling fun while in Tunisia etc but beeing so blant with cheating with cash/change I came across first time I have to say.

Another one was the photographer in Kanta (PEK).

Took some pictures, we liked them and took them - normal size one 3DT each , slightly larger one 4DT each. We did not ask for enlarged versions, certainly not for a few of those but what to hell - nice photos from the Kanta's BBQ.

Next time he took the pictures there were 3 small ones and 2 big ones (again, same photos enlarged without asking us first if we wanted him to do this and if we were prepared to pay if he did enlargements - after all they were same as the smaller ones).

Anyway, he asks for 20DT to which I replied, hold on a sec, 3 small ones 9 DT and 2 large ones 8DT that is 17 and not 20 DT.

He tells me I do not understand, he wants to GIVE me the 3 small ones for free and only charge only 20DT for the 2 big ones. Pointed to him that in this case he is trying to charge me 10DT each for the photos that 3 days before were 4DT each. Firmly sayd I can pay him 15DT for all as I did not ask for the enlarged ones anyway so I am doing him a favour in taking them anyway. He got a bit grumpy with me but I said - well dear friend take it or leave it - I did not ask for those pictures in the first place to start with. Took them for 15DT in the end but I did report this to Kanta's on the "evaluation" for at the end.

Do not get me wrong, I love Tunisia, I tip everyone everywhere for the good service I normally get.

But I refuse to be "taken for a ride" by anyone - be it at home in UK or while on holiday.

While in Kerkennah last year, one of the waiters was not very nice to me after he realised I did not bring him a bottle of whisky which he said he had "asked for" the year before.

Now, firstly he did not ask me (must have asked everyone else though LOL) and then even if he did - well, I like to decide who do I tip/when/how much/what with etc and will not give in to any form of "pressure".

:))

Now..... where shall I go to next year?

Love Kerkennah but my OH would die here (activities while on holiday type and kerkennah is my favourite quiet type of place), PEK I am not too keen on - very artificial, purpose built tourist resort with no character, Sousse again not my cup of tea, too much hassle wherever you go.

I guess the best compromise for me AND my OH is Hammamet after all - old Hammamet Fort - blessing in the evenings sipping coffee in the cafe on the bottom of the Fort and a bit of haggling near by ;). Yasmine - very elegant marina, lots of nice cafes and generally very pretty. Hammamet "middle" lots of clubs/discos and beaches much better than Sousse or PEK - very wide with a good choice of water sports etc.

Ach..... I want to go back - NOW